By Sumitpal Rehal

The former England international and Manchester United striker claims that the sport is too different from the games to be able to follow examples set at the London 2012

Michael Owen has stated that football culture is too hostile and competitive to share the same spirit that was displayed during the London 2012 Olympics.

The forward was released by Manchester United this summer has been on the victim of malicious crowds himself during his career, most recently when returning to Anfield to face his boyhood club Liverpool.

There have been suggestions recently that footballers and football in general could learn a thing or two from the Olympics and the overall spirit displayed during the games. But Owen states that it is a completely different ball game.

"In my opinion, the whole culture of football must change if the Olympics is going to be the guiding light," said the former United man on Twitter.

"Football has lost touch with reality slightly but let’s get it right, if you were playing at an away ground and went to hug the spectators like Usain Bolt did, you would struggle to get out alive.

"Not to mention the tirade of abuse every footballer gets once in ear shot of the crowd.

"We are talking about a totally different audience and, like it or not, a football ground isn’t the most pleasant of places in the world. I certainly wouldn’t take my kids to watch a match. All I would say is that it's not a very fair comparison."